Olly Benson

For reasons, I've spent the day crossing the Irish Sea. How's your day been?

I'm no marine expert, but are boats meant to do this (its a Stena Ro-ro ferry)?

Had this idea in lockdown, half-built it, forgot about it, remembered it again, though might as well finish it.

A hivemind question: Does anyone have any insights on optional EDI monitoring, and whether certain cohorts are more likely to complete them? I'm interested to know whether our 50% completion rate is reflective of the whole, or whether it just reflects the people who fill in the EDI questions?

It's ok to write "Have a great weekend" in an email you send on Wednesday, right? Asking for a friend.

Surely it's not a coincidence that after the cliffhanger on Friday night's Celebrity Traitors that the topic discussed subject on Hannah Fry and @daraobriain.bsky.social's Curious Cases broadcast on Saturday morning was Yawning.

Somewhere in an office in the city, a lawyer is currently updating the Lime Bikes Usage Agreement to include a line about them not being used for jousting or any other medieval sport.

This programme is outstanding. A really revealing look at the experience of growing up in care from an unexpected angle #screenshot www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

“Several speakers had overrun, and there was no time for questions after my presentation... I could not ignore the symbolism. The one presentation focused on lived experience was the one that never became a conversation.” www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/psyc...

AA Roadwatch. Did the training, shadowed shifts etc and got given the key (to the whole call centre - we were based in a side office) and then was told I would be doing the 7am Sunday shift. Couldn't get there without a car so had to quit. Had to fight to get paid for what I had done.

I'm all for brevity of the message, but this email reminder from the NHS is missing some fairly crucial details.

So today's win is that I now can spell anaesthesia without relying on spellcheck.

The reason the Amber Valley by-election isn't declaring until tomorrow afternoon is that the counting hall had already been booked for a wedding. You try telling the bride she's not the most important thing happening there today.

Really interesting (cross-party) initiative from my old boss here… blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2026/10/mart...

I approve of this fess...

That can't be safe. It is the marine equivalent of the overloaded car... (Also, how do they them off the boat?)

I'm all for transparency, but a five page letter and 52 page booklet posted to us to tell us the insurer who underwrites the breakdown cover we get as part of our premium bank account seems a little excessive. Nothing changes about the cover, which we don't actually have a need for.

This is one of those "you couldn't make it up" stories, involving skydiving paramedics ...

Don't really know much about Olivia Rodriguez, although I really loved her duets with Robert Smith at Glasto. However, this Song Exploder podcast about her song The Cure is really interesting. The obvious connection between these two facts is unintentional.

Only three people on a double decker rail replacement bus. Got to the station and they had held the connecting train for us. #nirailways

This R4 programme on kinship carers has sat in my downloads for a few months. Finally listened to it last night. Powerful stories about kinship care and how hidden it is in society, despite over 140,000 kids being cared by other family members.

‘I find myself weeping after almost every scene’: how seminal show 7 Up has touched your lives

Amazing news from @reachvolunteering.org.uk! A funding package will enable them to "continue up to the end of 2028 and transform with confidence".

Such joy. Headed back to the office as have been evacuated off the trains and platforms. #ukrail #bhm #birmingham #newstreet

Interflora sending me a survey to rate the quality of their flowers somewhat misses their whole business model, which is that I pay for flowers that are delivered elsewhere!

I know "worth the licence fee alone" is a bit of a cliché, but I think this definitely qualifies. It's utterly nuts. And brilliant. Because why wouldn't you get the band of the Royal Marines to perform Insomnia and other Ibiza classics? Plus some audience members clearly booked the wrong tickets.

Enjoyed this great series on the Hitler Diaries Scandal presented by @andrewhunterm.bsky.social and produced by my old colleague Ruth

Good afternoon spent with @clentonf.bsky.social encouraging us all to create good trouble.